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ALBAQF. SMITH YAN D J OHN VIGKERS, N ORWIGH, CONNECTICUT,

" ASSIGNORS TO NORWIGH` LOCK COMPANY,'0F PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 79,694, dated July 7, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN PADLGKS'.

To ALL WHoM 1r MAY ooucnnn:-

Be itknown that we, ALBA` F. SMITH an'd JOHN H. Vromans, of Norwich, in the county of New London, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Padlocks 'and we do hereby declare that thelfollowing is a full and exact descriptionthereof.

Our invention is intended to aiiord a very cicient and secure padlock, with very simple and cheap mechanism.

We will first describe what we consider t'hc best means of carrying out our invention, and will afterwards designatetheupoints which we believe toghe new. The accompanying drawings form a part of this specication.

Figure 1 is a face view of the padlock with the shackle open.

Figure 2 is an` edge view with the shackle shut. i

Figure 3 is a face view of the works of the lock with the shackle closed, the face-plate of the leek having 'been removed to show the interior.

Figure 4 is a'corresponding view, with a portion of the interior worksremoved.

Figure 5 is a central vertical section through the entire lock, on the line e s in g. 4.

Figure 5 represents the key'.

Figure 6 isua horizoutalsection,through the entire lock, on the Vline T T -in g.x4.

The red'outlines, Figures 7 and 8, represent constructions which we havecontemplated in connection with' this invention, but which we do not` consider it necessary to describe in detail.

Figure 3" represents a modification, which may. be of such service thatwe prefer to employ it in every lock. It was omitted in g. 3 by an oversight. Fig. 3 represents the'lower part of figf as we prefer` to make it, the spring and notches serving to aid very materially in the perfection of the lock. The device can be used, however, with success as carried out in iig. V3, and it will be so described at rst. i

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

is the -main casing of the padlock. Al is the back plate.4 A2 isthe front plate. which the shackle 'B turns. a is the centre-pin on which the key is adapted to turn.l

y C is a partially-rotating disk`which turns onhthe centre-pin al, andis supported at the back on -the'four short pins or supports a2, and which constitutes `the entire works of the lock, with the addition'of certain catches which engage with it, andare detachedvbythe proper key. C1 is an arm von the diskl C, which is struck by the end of the shackle, and partially :turns'the disk C as the shackle is closed. C2 is a strong hook on the disk C, which engages with the hook'B2 on' thc end of the shackle B, and holds the shackle firmly in the locked condition until the disk C is allowed to partially rotate in the opposite direction.`

The disk C is held firmly in the locked condition by means of spring-catches d dl d, which arerscrewed to the back plate ofthe lock at. the point D. These catches stand in holes in the disk @indicated by c c c, and are of Ysuch strength as to beable to resist any violence to which the padlock may be subjected. A post7 a5, is fixed qu the back'platc of the 4easing A, and stands in an extension of one of the slots or holeso, as shown in g. 3. Its

face is inelined, as indicated in fig. 6. The key Eis formed with projections e, adapted to enter the recesses c after the key has been turned suiiiciently around. Ii akeyis introduced not having the projections in proper number and proper place,` no-eii`ect will be produced, but the right `key, on being introduced through the key-hole m, and being turned around, presses withits several projections e upon thc several catches d, and thus pushes them back in the holes c suiciently toliberatc the disk C. Now a further turning of the keyQE, and a. pulling on the shackle B, or either of these forces alone, will cause the disk C to turn s uiciently to liberate the shackle. After having revolveda little distance, the disk C is arrested by the contact of the hook C2 against the upper portion of thecasingA', and thek key-is forced forward by riding up on the inclined face of the post a3. This movement lifts zthe projections e entirely out of the holes c, and the ke'y is allowed to revolve freely until it obtains the proper position'from which it may be withdrawn.` They lock now remains open until the'shackle is again closed by turning the disk C back into its original position, a movement whichallows the catches d to again takea rm holdin the holes c.

a. is the centre upon g We have so far described the key' as having been urged inward or backward in the lock with sufficient force lto depress the catches d, by the force of the-hand of the operator.

vThe parts above described are capable of being operated in such manner, and the lock wbenso operated will possess a portion of the advantages of our invention.

But we willl now describe what we consider a very important additional element.

The front plate A1 of the lo ck,`carries on its rear face a post, a4, having an inclined face, as indicated in lig. 6, and this is so placed relatively to the other parts, that as the key is turned around into the position where it it is ready to4 act in the catches d, it strikes the inclined face of the projection a4, and is forced inward or backward by a wedge-like motion, thus insuring the effectual removal of the catches cl,and .the liberation of the disk C by the forcing inwardot the key due t'o this, wedge-wise action.'

It will thus be seen that with this adjunct of the lock proper, the operator has simply to' introduce the key through the proper keyhole and turn it around, without exercising any force whatever to depress 0r force in the key. The inclinedface a throws the-key backward in the lock, at the proper position to depress the catches al, andthe inclined face 'aa'throws theA key forward again so soon as it has turned the disk Cv to a suhcient extent to liberate the shackle.

-'We can make any number ofcatches d, from a single plate of steel, hard brass, or other suitable material, and the expense of the construction of our lock is less, and the liability to deraugement is, welthink, less than in any other equally strong and secure lock. Ouricatches cl are not easily reached .through the key-hole, except by'means of a key turning as specified, and our key may be narrow' and the key-hole small.

We csteeurit an important feature of our lock that the key continues toturn and is thrown forward by ridingup on the face of the post a3, or some equivalent means, so that the projections e on the key are thrown out ofthe holes c as represented. The key is always turned inthe same direction, the locking motion being effected without the aidof the key'. One completewcvolution of the key opens the lock," and allows the key to be removedand returned to the pocket.

.Fig S shows a still preferable construction of the lower part -of the lock. In this construction two notches, Vl and V2, are made in the disk, as shown, and a spring, W, having a short turn or angle as represented, is introduced between the casing- A and the edge of the disk C, at' this place. 'When the disk C 'is inthe locked position, the-angle ot' the spring stands in the notch V1; when it is inthe unlocked position, it ,stands in the notch V2. This spring thus arranged holds the disk at one extreme or other of its motion, tends to induce a prompt action ofthe disk in changing from one position tothe other, and while it costs a very little, say only one-fourth'of a cent for each lock, may be made the means of avoiding expense at the upper side by doing away with the necessity for adapting the inside of the case at the top to arrest the motion of the disk after its unlocking movement.

The notches Vl V2 may suiciently arrest the motionat'each extreme of the motion.

We can increase or diminish the number of catches d at pleasure, and we can vary their position sufficiently so lthat instead of being in a direct line, as here reprcsented, they may bc placed irregularly, and instead of being spaced at equal distances apart, two or more may be close together. We may thus vary thc construction indefinitely, taking care to vary the position of the other-parts to correspond. We can without greatly complicating the work introduce wards on the front plate A? or on the disk C, taking care to arrange them so that they shall not arrest the pins e.

Fig. 7 represents in outline the arrangement which has been above referred to, where double catches mounted on their centres, and turning, operating like levers, are employed, in lieu of the simple catches d.

Fig. 8 represents the construction of disk C audits adjuncts as applied to a door-lock, trunk-lock, or other sliding-bolt lock. H represents the sliding-bolt. nsuch a lock the keywould be employed both to lock and unlock.

We can, if it is deemed expedient, arrange the catches d in the form of levers, with two series of holes and two series of catches, one at each cnd of each lever. This will have the eile'ct, that if one of the catches be depressed much beyond the proper limitv by the introduction of a false key orotherwise, thc catch on the other end of thc'lever shall catch in the corresponding hole, and prevent theturning ofthe disk C. We do'not, howover, consider such complications generally desirable, and prefer for ordinary uses the extremely simple and efficient form of lock here represented.

Some of the advantages due to several features of our invention may b e separately enumerated as. follows First, by reason of the fact that'our catches d apply in the holes c, in our disk Q, in the manner represented, at a point concealed and measurably protected by the front plate A2, so that the proper key E c, can only reach to detachy them by being inserted through akey-hole, E', at a distance, and turncdaround as represented, we arealluble to produce a very secure and strong lock, with a very simple construction, and with little yexpense for materials or workmanship while, by reason of the fact that the incline, a3, throws the key out of the hoies c so soon 'as the unlocking is cl'ected, our key may be turned continuously around after the unlocking Yis eiiected, and the lock may be operated with very little skill or care. v

Second, by reason of the fact that the incline a,'on theLback of thcfront plate A?, forces the key backward to the proper extent, when just opposite the holesc, we are certain that thecatches r2 will be detached in turn ing the proper key around in the lock, without the necessity for exerting any force by the hand to press the key back in that part of its revolution. And by reason of the fact that the spring W is formed with an angle, as shown, and adapted, as represented, to the notches Vl V2, we insure the retention of the disk in its position at either extreme ofits motion, so long as the lock stands at rest, and insure its prompt action to complete its motion, however sluggishly'the key may be turned. v

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l sented, relatively to the 1. The incline a3, arranged-as herein specied, and adapted to throw the key forward; out of l.the holes so soon as the unlocking movementis completed, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified. t

2. VThe within-described inclined projections a4 on the beck face of the front plate .A3 arrangedV as yrepre.- key E e'and catches al, for the'purpose herein specified. 1 I

ALBAv F.- singin, f JOHN H. VICKERS.A

Witnesses:

Josnpn SELDEN, FRANK A. SMITH. 

